Mayoral hopefuls sound off

Published 7:00 pm, Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Pat Hallisey, Jerry Shults, Phyllis Wilson Sanborn, Tad Nelson, Marc Edelman and Mike Barber answered questions posed by League City citizens. The Rev. John Kieschnick of the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church served as mediator.

Hallisey and Shults, who are running for mayor, agreed on increasing the homestead exemption for seniors, which is currently $45,000, returning stability and civility to City Hall and improving Palomino Road to prepare for additional traffic on the road from High School No. 4.

"We'd better slow down and take a look at what's going on there, because I'm smelling something that doesn't smell right," Hallisey said. Shults said the proposed bridge would provide no benefit to the community.

"I do not believe that that bridge is a feasible alternative," he said. "I'm not even sure if I support a study on that bridge."

Questions on the appointment of a new city administrator led to a discussion on the strength of the office of mayor in League City.

Shults said City Council has already selected a new city administrator and if he is elected, he will support their decision. "Last time I checked, this is still a democracy; it is not a dictatorship," Shults said.

"I think what you are talking about is more along the lines of a city manager form of government, where, in fact, the city council does pick that city manager," Hallisey said.

"In a strong mayor form of government, which we have functioned under for 43 years, and all of a sudden, that seems to be in question, the mayor's primary role is to create a vision for this community and move it forward."

Shults later stated that while he acknowledges that the city's charter provides for a strong mayor form of government, he believes that it is time for a change. "The charter needs to be amended," Shults said.

Both agree on River Market

Both candidates agreed that the River Market project should be abandoned.

"I am not sure that we have to focus on the creek as far as our future development," Shults said. "The creek is what it is. It's beautiful as it is."

Hallisey thinks developing along the floodway will create additional problems in the future. "Hike and bike trails up and down the creek connecting both sides of the freeway, making an area where people can recreate and enjoy themselves, makes perfect sense," he said.

Hallisey and Shults agreed that League City does not need to change its image to bring more business to the community.

"We have to embrace who we are," Shults said. "We're not Kemah; we're not going to be Kemah. The mayor needs to take a leadership role and advertise and market this city."

"We are the third largest boating and recreation area in the United States, right here in and around Clear Lake," Hallisey said. "The city needs to participate and be part of that and not be in a situation of throwing up roadblocks that make it difficult for this community to get things done."

Council candidates air views

Candidates for Council Position 1 and Council Position 2 disagreed on how to provide relief for senior citizens. Barber and Nelson said that they support an increase in the homestead exemption, while Edelman prefers a tax freeze.

"I've come across so many people who said they're having to move because they can't afford the taxes on their homes, and I think it's an atrocity," Edelman said. "These people are in the golden years of their lives, and we are taxing them out of existence."

"I think that if we could get (the exemption) as high as $65,000, I think that would provide such good relief, and it would allow (seniors) to do so many more things with the limited amount of money they have," Nelson said. The four candidates also disagreed on possible solutions to League City's future population growth. Sanborn and Barber believe that city staff should continue to use outside experts to plan for the future.

"We've got to be creative," Sanborn said. "We've got to pull in all the resources we can."

"I think that we have gone outside and gotten some very good consultants," Barber said, adding that the city should steer away from building homes and try to find more creative ways to utilize its space.

Edelman believes that League City already has all the resources it needs to accommodate the population increase. Nelson warned against spending additional taxpayer money on hiring outside consultants and said that the City Council needs to evaluate future plans.

"The only problem with experts is that right now, we are just hemorrhaging money here in League City," Nelson said.

Each candidate agreed that the River Market project is not feasible and presented ideas for encouraging local spending and attracting tourism to League City.

Sanborn suggested that the city work with businesses already in the area, such as Big League Dreams and Wal-Mart, to drive commerce.

Nelson said that future economic development should center on restaurants and medical and professional services and that it would be "a waste of time" to spend too much money on developing around Big League Dreams.

Edelman recommended developing the area near Interstate 45, where Sudie's Catfish Restaurant is located, instead of developing in the historical part of the city.

"If you cut out the heart, the whole body dies, and the old part of town is the heart of our community," he said.

Barber said that through mixed-use zoning, the city can revitalize its main street, an option that several surrounding cities have chosen.

"I think that would be a much better utilization of our resources than River Market," he said.

Candidates agreed that the City Council needs more stability to retain staff, especially for positions such as city administrator and finance director. Each candidate also agreed that the bridge extension of Palomino Road should not be supported at this time.

Nelson asked Sanborn how she felt about abstaining from voting on issues related to Clear Creek Independent School District.

"If I'm not to vote on issues with CCISD, I won't vote on issues with CCISD," Sanborn said. "My city will come first."